


Syndulla’s Rebellion

by kod11



Series: Getting to know you [2]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: F/F, F/M, Pre-Star Wars: Rebels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:34:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22689307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kod11/pseuds/kod11
Summary: Hera, Kanan, and Chopper continue to navigate each other with several setbacks along the way. However, two years after A New Dawn, Hera wrestles with her own identity as much as with Kanan as a person.
Relationships: Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla
Series: Getting to know you [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1632160
Comments: 32
Kudos: 65





	1. Popular support

**Author's Note:**

> Full disclosure, I’m taking more liberties with Hera’s back story. The Kanan Omnibus filled in a lot of gaps about Kanan, but I’m not aware of any such cannon related information on Hera. I struggled with the overarching theme here because Hera always gets the anti-sexual slavery lens because of the rampant fetishization of her fictitious race. Additionally, Twi’lek cannon doesn’t have anything like the Jedi Code or Madalorian Resol’nare, so I’m utilizing what I know about common aspects of guerrilla warfare, given Hera was raised in it. So, I think those are going to be overarching themes in this one. 
> 
> Because I'm going in the anti-sexual slavery lens, be mindful that this story might be triggering, but thus far, not explicit details.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hera was always her father’s daughter until she decided to fight for the rebellion, much to her mother’s chagrin. She never thought she’d have to generate popular support on her own ship.

Hera would never admit it, especially to Kanan, but the rebellion is exhausting. It has been a year since Gorse, and three months since Jedha City. The Ghost is on Lothal, and they are experiencing a rainstorm. Since the blaster blast to her shoulder, when there is a lot of humidity in the air, her shoulder is sore. 

Days like this, Hera wants nothing more than to pretend she is a normal twenty-year-old Twi-lek in a non-descript/semi-professional relationship with a human. A human who is currently complaining about being stuck inside. 

“Come on, we don’t have anything to do? No missions from the rebellion?” asks Kanan, reclined on a chair in the common room, his long legs stretched out in front of him. 

“Sad day, when you’re asking for rebellion work,” replies Hera, rubbing at her shoulder. 

Chop clicks his agreement with Kanan, “[Kanan Unit will degrade if left idle].”

Hera smiles at Chop’s response. He isn’t wrong. Chop is only calling Kanan a meat sake now when he is really pissed at Kanan, but it still terrorizes Kanan whenever possible. 

“You ok?”

“Just sore.”

“The rain?”

Hera nods. She wouldn’t tell Kanan, but she likes the rain; it reminds her of her childhood. Where Hera grew up on Ryloth, it is dry. The rains come rarely, but when the rain comes, does it ever come. Her father would take her out in it, that sweet spot before it was too dense, but still provided enough cover to prevent engagement with Separatist droids. Hera can’t help but smile at the memory of the revolutionary Cham Syndulla jumping in puddles with his six-year-old daughter looking for feen [1] for her mother. Now, Hera knows it was too early for it to be in season, but at the time, she didn’t care. 

“Hera?” Kanan asks as he places a hand on her shoulder. 

It startles Hera that she didn’t notice him get up and close the distance between them, and she asks, “Sorry?”

“Daydreaming? I’d be offended if I wasn’t so bored, too,” snarks Kanan, “Can think of a couple ways to pass the time.” That might be the first time, Kanan has propositioned her. It surprises her. She doesn’t hate it. Before she can respond, Kanan continues, “We can—I can work on that shoulder if you want?”

Not where she thought he was going, but she’ll hear him out. Hera tries to crack her neck, but nothing and asks, “What do I have to?”

Kanan offers her his hand, pulling her from her chair, and he leads her to her bunk, so she was right, she thinks, he’s trying to get lucky. Kanan smiles at her and says, “You should probably take off your vest and lay face down.” Hera does as Kanan asks, and he begins to massage her shoulder. Kanan continues, “Let me know if it hurts at all.”

It does hurt, but she keeps her face turned away from him so he can’t see. Hera knows how to handle a little pain, plus once he stops, her shoulder is going to feel better. 

Hera moans loudly after Kanan presses his thumb firmly between her shoulder blades. Kanan chuckles in response but fortunately says nothing. Hera sighs, “Luv, where did you learn this?”

“Some at the Temple. Some—at decidedly not Temple like places.”

“Not Temple like places?”

“Come on, sweetheart, you know.”

“I really don’t.” Except she does.

Kanan doesn’t respond, but his hands don’t stop moving, though they are slipping lower on her back. He’s right, her shoulder is starting to relax. He sighs and asks, “What do you want me to say, Hera?” 

She turns her head to look over her shoulder at him and asks, “Brothels, Kanan?”

Kanan nods. This is up there with him changing his name. Things she should know/expect, but for some reason, she never considered. Of course, a male his age has been to brothels. Hera’s never been in one. She’s always been afraid of them. Silly of her. Silly of her to be afraid. Silly of her to imagine he’s never been to one. Silly to imagine he’d have the same convictions she does. She knows he doesn’t. He doesn’t believe in the rebellion. Why would she even assume he would share her complicated feelings on sex work?

“Hera?” Kanan’s voice brings her back to the present. He continues, “You’re upset?” His statement isn’t quite a question, but also isn’t a declaration. Like he’s afraid of her response or doesn’t quite know what his Force sensitivity is telling him. 

“No, of course not. I’m just being silly. It’s nothing, really,” replies Hera, looking away from Kanan. 

“If you’re upset, then it isn’t silly-“ Hera’s shake of her head silences him for a minute because Kanan says, “Do you want me to explain?” Hera shakes her head no because he doesn’t owe her an explanation. Kanan continues, “Do you want me to leave?”

“I’m kind of tired.” She isn’t lying, exactly. She’s exhausted. She’s also noticed he’s spending less and less time with her after sex, and she can’t stop herself from wondering about that choice. She assumes he’s trying to be less attached, or he just is less interested. Something she always knew could happen after she gave him what he was pursuing. 

Kanan gives a quick nod and exits Hera’s cabin. She really is being a little nuts and unfair, but then again, Aunt Alema always said it doesn’t matter if you show a male that you’re crazy because he’s going to tell everyone you are regardless, might as well earn it. 

Hera rolls onto her back, pressing her shoulders back into the mattress. Aunt Alema was her mother’s sister and her father’s major critic. Alema who never hesitated in standing up to Cham Syndulla. Don’t get Hera wrong, Alema is very much pro-Free Ryloth, but Cham never approved about Alema’s rebellious nature. He thought she was dangerous, and he was probably right. Alema’s criticism of Cham increased after Tislera died. Though if you listened to gossip, Alema was personally offended by Cham, and Hera always wondered what her father had done to incur Alema’s wrath. 

Hera wasn’t lying. She was tired, so tired she napped for three hours, and bonus, her shoulder doesn’t hurt. Super bonus, she took a cue from Kanan and decided not to be upset with him over something he did in the past. Even if she knows you can’t delineate between slavers and most brothels. 

Hera exits her cabin intending to apologize to Kanan, but she hears him yelling at Chop, “Shut up! It doesn’t even matter.”

Chop replies, “[Message is for Hera Unit].”

“I don’t understand you!”

Hera walks into the cockpit and says, “You should learn binary.”

“It is a point of pride now,” snarks Kanan without looking at her. “You received a couple messages while you were asleep…”

“And Chop won’t play them for you?”

“I heard them when they came in…” Kanan isn’t looking at her. If he heard them why does he need to play them again? His behavior is very strange, but she doesn’t have time to consider it because Kanan continues, “One’s from Fulcrum and one’s from Ryloth.”

“Ryloth?” Who would be contacting her from Ryloth? “Was it my father?”

“I wouldn’t know, but he seemed too young to be your father.”

“What did he say his name was?”

“Watch it at will. But I want to talk about the Fulcrum message.” Kanan’s tone is low. He’s angry. 

“Kanan, what did Fulcrum say? I thought you wanted a job.”

Kanan reaches past her and pushes the playback on the telecom. Fulcrum’s message begins to play, “Captain Syndulla. I have a mission your crew. I suspect your crew is uniquely qualified for it. We have intel that says the Empire is gathering kyber crystals.” Hera feels Kanan’s anger next to her.

Fulcrum continues, “We aren’t sure how the Empire came by them or why they want them, but we can’t let them fall into the Empire’s hands. I’m sending you the details of the mission. It is time-sensitive. If you are unwilling or unable, we’ll have to give this assignment to another cell, but the Ghost would be most appropriate. Good luck, Captain.”

As the vid shutoff, Kanan turns on Hera, “What did you tell them about me?”

“Nothing,” replies Hera.

“Nothing!” shouts Kanan, “Why does he think I’d be invested in kyber crystals?” Kanan is shaking with anger.

“Kanan, I swear, I haven’t told the rebellion about you. I didn’t even tell them you joined my crew until you had been here for months. You’re just a drifter. Yes, Fulcrum guessed some of our…” Hera motioned between them, “But I haven’t volunteered anything. I’ve played up that we’re just sleeping together, and you’re here for money and sex.”

Kanan’s just staring at her, still angry, it is radiating from him. 

“You don’t have to do it. I’ll do it on my own---” She can’t not complete the mission, but she doesn’t want to put Kanan at risk.

“So, I don’t help because that would make me look innocent,” snarls Kanan.

“Kanan, you are innocent.”

“You know what I mean!”

“Maybe Bonteri told him about the lightsaber?” wonders Hera. 

Kanan takes a few deep breathes, and his anger dissipates. He looks defeated and says, “This is my fault. I haven’t been keeping a low profile.” He rubs his hands over this face. “Review the plans, and let me know what I need to do. And don’t forget your other message, ewso [1].”

Truth be told, Hera has to look up kyber crystals because she has no idea what they are. Lightsabers. 

Kanan exits the cockpit without giving her a chance to reply. Ewso? It has been a long time since anyone has called her that. Would Kanan even know what that means? Hera sits in her chair and plays the first telecom vid.

“Hera, sei eswo. Do tann dan ohk gu. Eti ohk ilkoo cea dan vorsink san. Ji ercolna ohk karsani, vil Do toyid go jid eti kue a rikolsan. Nekar dei. [Hera, my beloved. I hope you are well. It is imperative that you contact me. The information is sensitive, and I can't leave it on a recording. Faithfully yours.]” Skawn, she’d recognize him anywhere. 

Hera sighs. She doesn’t want to talk to Skawn. She doesn’t want to plan this mission. She wants to go back to bed. Skawn sounded, well she doesn’t know how to put it. He sounded upset, as upset as he can be. Maybe it is her father? But she knows if she vids Skawn back and it is her father, she won’t be able to concentrate on the mission. 

Hera reviews the information from Fulcrum and thinks through some of how she’d approach it. She’s not excited to head to Zoph, and she knows Kanan is going to be the worst about all this. 

She finds Kanan meditating in his cabin. Hera leans against the doorframe and asks, “Still mad?”

He doesn’t open his eyes and says, “No.”

“Because you’re not mad or because you’re not supposed to be mad?” 

That gets Kanan to open his eyes. He sighs and asks, “So what is the plan?”

“Zoph. The Empire seems to have discovered some kyber crystals, and they are going to move them to a more secure location, but we don’t have that intel. The only chance is to grab it before they get off-world.” 

Kanan rises from his kneeling position on the floor, and Hera says, “I transferred the intel to your datapad. I figured you’d want to review it, and then we can talk about it.” 

“At least the Empire won’t get the crystals. I don’t know if you know what they are for--:

“Lightsabers. Can’t imagine what the Empire would do with them,” says Hera. She walks into Kanan’s cabin and picks up Kanan’s datapad to pull up the information. Kanas rushes and stumbles a bit toward her and says, “Don’t.”

Hera laughs, “Don’t what?” as she switches on the datapad. As it boots up, Hera realizes that perhaps Kanan was watching porn on this, and based on his reaction, she isn’t far off. But it isn’t porn or even job listings from Outer Rim planets. It is a Twi’lek translation software. Hera looks up at Kanan, who is standing close to her and blushing. She doesn’t get to see him blush often.

Kanan bites the inside of his cheek and says, “Sorry. I was—I don’t know what I was doing. I guess I was—I really don’t know.”

“You were trying to invade my privacy by listening to my messages?” asks Hera with a smile.

“No, not intentionally?” Kanan actually looks confused. “He was a good-looking guy and seemed desperate to talk to you. What does he want?”

“I don’t know. The message didn’t say much because he didn’t think it was safe to leave his information on a recording. Probably about my father.”

“So, when are you calling him back?”

“Probably after the mission. I don’t want to get distracted.”

“What if something happened to your father?” Kanan asks; he sounds surprised by her response. 

“My father puts the mission first. Sure, this isn’t his fight, but the mission always comes first.” Hera doesn’t understand why Kanan doesn’t get this.

“Right, and I can start planning it. Why not vid your father’s man back?”

“Why is this so important to you?”

“Why isn’t it important to you?”

“Fine, I’ll call Skawn back,” says Hera, thrusting the datapad into Kanan’s hands and exiting his cabin. 

But she doesn’t vid Skawn back. She plots the fastest course to Zoph. She doesn’t know why she is dreading this so much. Things didn’t end well between them. 

Kanan knocks on the cockpit door, which is open, and asks, “How’d the vid go?”

Hera sighs, “Haven’t had time.”

Kanan nods, “Let’s make time.” And he hits the telecom and selects Skawn’s message then starts the vid. 

“Kanan, no!” shouts Hera. She struggles to get past him and end the vid. Kanan ends up holding her from behind, slightly off the ground, while she tries to wrestle free. 

“Hera, sei eswo. Ohk dan ily? Jinqa ohk cea y foh? [Hera, my beloved. Are you alright? Who is this human?]” asks Skawn through the telecom. He sounds panicked, and Kanan releases Hera. 

Silence. 

Kanan clears this throat, “I’m Kanan Jarrus. I work for Hera.”

Skawn and Kanan size each other up. 

“What did you need Skawn?” asks Hera. 

“Do ohk go doneeta tilor arsian bo ji foh ohk doneeta, [I'm not sure speaking in front of the human is wise,]” replies Skawn. Hera never thought about her accent, but hearing Skawn’s she wonders if hers was ever that thick.

“In Basic, please. Kanan is fine. He’s my crew,” replies Hera.

Kanan drops into the copilot chair, and Hera sits in the pilot’s seat. 

Skawn says, “A group of Twi’leks, including children, was intercepted on their way back to Ryloth by a known slaver ship—a human slaver ship.” Skawn’s looking at Kanan when he says this. “Cham doesn’t have the men to retrieve them. Let alone ships that could pursue---”

“My father won’t send anyone because they never made it to the surface?” Hera lets out a fake laugh, “And you—most likely him—think I’ll go get them and come home?”

“Cham doesn’t know I’m reaching out to you.”

Hera is surprised. She’s never known Skawn to work outside of her father.

“Alema—“ begins Skawn, Hera’s head shoots up. Skawn continues, “Hera, the ship that intercepted our people has been here before about four years ago. Alema and Cham have been fighting since the incident. He told her to go if she wanted to, but—” Hera doesn’t need him to finish. Alema is never leaving Ryloth. 

“When did this happen?”

“Two standard cycles ago, but we have it on authority they are headed to Tatooine.”

“Whose authority?” asks Kanan. Hera forgot he was here. 

Skawn scowls a bit but says, “One girl was able to escape in a pod during the boarding. She heard them talking about the Hutts on Tatooine.”

“Kriff me,” says Kanan shaking his head.

Skawn scowl intensifies as he asks, “Ewso, who is this man?”

Kanan leans back in his chair and smirks, but Hera says, “My crew. I hired him a year ago.”

“For what exactly?” asks Skawn.

Hera rolls her eyes, and Kanan opens his mouth, but Hera slaps her hand over it and says, “Try to resist the urge to say something stupid.”

Kanan nods behind her hand, but once she removes it, he says, “I know how much you like giving me directions.”

“Hera, will you help?” asks Skawn drawing her attention back to him.

“I don’t know. I need to think about it. I have a time-sensitive mission.”

“Your rebellion. How is that more important than the lives of our people?” Skawn sounds like Cham.

“No one is free when others are oppressed [3],” replies Hera. 

“I’ll await your decision,” and with that, Skawn ends the vid. 

Hera leans back in her chair, looks toward the ceiling, and lets a deep breath out through her nose. 

“So—” begins Kanan.

“I don’t know. Fulcrum needs us—”

“Fulcrum needs us to prevent the Empire from getting kyber crystals—"

“And we only have a little time---”

“Slaves, Hera. They are going to make them slaves—”

Hera feels rage and snarls, “You think I don’t know? You think you know better than me?”

“That isn’t what I’m saying. I’m wondering why we’re debating this.—” replies Kanan.

“Because, you know how important those crystals are, possibly more than anyone.”

“I know that if you save one life, you save the world. That’s what I was taught anyway,” says Kanan. 

Hera breathes deeply and says, “I never thought I’d have to convince you to help the Jedi.”

Kanan stands and says, “The Jedi are gone. There will be other crystals. There are other rebel cells. No one else is going after those kidnapped Twi’leks.”

Hera knows he’s right. She's going to have to call Fulcrum. 

Notes:  
[1] Feen is fruit found on Ryloth  
[2] Ewso is a Twi’lek word for beloved.  
[3] Martin Luther King


	2. Leaders and recruits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hera was groomed to lead, and she keeps leading Kanan into danger. Hera gets a call from a friend, drops a mission from Fulcrum, and takes a jog down memory lane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content present in this chapter. 
> 
> As always, slight edits to come in the harsh light of day.

“That is terribly troubling news. I’m sorry, Captain,” says Fulcrum. “I was in a similar situation once.” Fulcrum sounds far away, but pulls himself together, “I’ll ask another cell to take on the mission.”

“Thank you for being so understanding. I wanted to go through with the mission, but Kanan’s right—”

“Annoying that way, isn’t he?” laughs Fulcrum. 

“You have no idea,” replies Hera with a grin. 

“He’s well suited for this mission, too. Hopefully, we’ll gain some friends on Ryloth through this endeavor,” posits Fulcrum. 

Chopper beeps, “[Remind rebels, Kanan Unit is useless].”

Hera scowls at Chop and is very relieved that Fulcrum probably doesn’t speak binary. Still, Chop is right, she needs to try to dissuade interest in Kanan. Hera says, “I worry that I’ve misled you in some way about Kanan.”

“How so?” 

“He—he isn’t anything special. He’s useful, don’t get me wrong, but he is just some guy I picked up. He’ll probably take off soon.”

Chop beeps, “[Not convincing. Kanan unit reckless. Kanan unit does not care for his organic frame].”

“Chop, hush,” scolds Hera.

Fulcrum laughs and replies, “I defer to your judgment, Captain. But I think you’re underestimating him. I believe that if you set expectations, people usually meet them.”

“That’s just it. He’s surpassed my expectations by staying onboard and sober,” says Hera before she adds, “most of the time.”

“Perhaps, you’ll convince him to join the rebellion, yet. You’re a powerful recruitment tool.”

Hera doubts she’ll ever get Kanan onboard with the rebellion. 

“Fulcrum, out.” Fulcrum ends the transmission. 

Hera looks at Chop and says, “If I didn’t know any better, it sounds like you want to hide Kanan as if you like him.”

“[False. Kanan unit has little utility].” 

Kanan says, leaning against the doorframe, “I knew he liked me.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. He just wanted to convince Fulcrum you serve no purpose.”

“If you say so, but what I heard is that I surpass your expectations,” replies Kanan with a smirk. 

“Did you miss the part where I said you weren’t special?” asks Hera. She stands and walks toward Kanan, slipping her arms around him. “I wanted to—I thought I could convince Fulcrum, that whatever he’s thinking about you is wrong without using the word.”

“Hmm,” responds Kanan with a grin and an eyebrow raise, “Thank you for telling them, I’m arm candy. We should play that up. Let’s blow off a couple calls to fool around.”

“Is that you came in here for? To fool around?”

“Always ready, willing, and able,” laughs Kanan, and he kisses her. His hands frame her face, but when he breaks away his face presents a serious expression, “I wanted to go over the trip to Tatooine. We’ll be there tomorrow.”

Kanan has been cautious with the Twi’lek/Tatooine mission. She set their course immediately, even before she spoke with Fulcrum because time is of the essence. Anyway, if they get it done fast enough, they might be able to help with the kyber crystals. 

“It will be just like any other mission, Kanan. Get in, scope it out, find the people, free them, and leave. Until we know where they are held and by whom, we can’t plan too much.”

“You’re the boss,” replies Kanan, stroking her cheek with his thumb, “But you’re ready for what this might be, right?” Hera tilts her head to the right, but before she can say anything, he says, “The air filter all over again, but worse.”

“You were the one who got out of line—not me.” Hera feels defensive. She moves to pull back from him, but Kanan doesn’t let go of her. 

“Hera, I’m going to do whatever I need to, to protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection,” declares Hera. 

“I didn’t mean it like that,” defends Kanan. He sighs defeated and says, “It feels like you’re always trying to fight with me.”

Hera shakes her head no, “I’m not.” But maybe she is, thinks Hera. She doesn’t want to think about it. She doesn’t want to do anything right now. Hera continues, placing her hand on Kanan’s cheek, “Let’s not argue. Let’s do something else.” She runs her hand down his neck and down his chest.

“Something else?” That’s rhetorical. Her hand is drifting lower, and Kanan sucks in his breath and asks, “Your room?

“Of course,” replies Hera, nodding before biting her lip. 

Kanan grins and grabs her hand, while giving Chop a salute and saying, “Chop, the ship is yours.”

“[Finally],” chirps Chop before giving a maniacal whiz. 

“Wait, what?” asks Hera, but Kanan is tugging her down the corridor toward her cabin. Still, Chop’s response is a concern, but her cabin door whooshes open, and Kanan spins her inside. Hera giggles and Kanan is still grinning. 

“So, what did you have in mind when you suggested something else?” asks Kanan. “Something like this?” Kanan kisses Hera, deeply, and it is kind of dizzying. “Or something like this?” Kanan runs his hands down her breasts and her sides to her hips, pulling toward his.

“Something like this,” says Hera against Kanan’s lips, opening and reaching into his pants. Things start to escalate quickly.

Kanan pants, “This ok?” while moving to pick Hera up. 

“Nope,” Hera replies. 

Kanan stumbles a bit and asks, “Wait, what?”

“Just take off your clothes, Kanan.”

“Knew you just wanted me around for my body,” replies Kanan as he starts to quickly strip off his clothes, throwing them haphazardly behind him. “Sweetheart, you’re a bit overdressed.”

Hera removes her clothes, pushes Kanan backward on her bunk, and asks, “Kanan, what do you want to do?”

“Whatever you want to,” replies Kanan immediately, reclining with his shoulders against the wall behind her bunk and his feet on the floor. He’s so tall. 

Hera slides onto Kanan’s lap and says, “So, there isn’t anything you want to do? We should just go to sleep?”

Kanan laughs and squeezes her thighs, “If you want to sleep, we can sleep. Might take a few minutes for me.”

Hera shifts on Kanan’s lap, making his breath catch, “That’s right, Kanan. I got you naked to sleep.”

“Force, I hope not.”

“So, what,” Hera shifts again, making Kanan bite his bottom lip, “do you want to do? We’ve been doing this for almost a year, and you never ask for anything.”

“I ask for everything,” replies Kanan. He’s right, he does. He asks before every sex act, but he’s an accommodating lover and never focuses on his own pleasure. 

Hera huffs, “Maybe I don’t want it to be all about me.”

Kanan sits up under her and says, “I don’t want to ask you to do anything you don’t want to.”

“If I don’t want to, I won’t,” replies Hera.

“Yeah, but we’ve been in a situation before where you thought I was telling you instead of asking you, and I’d rather follow your lead. I’ll follow you just about anywhere.” He is so sincere with his hands framing her face. 

Hera thinks, good because I’m about to take you to a slaver planet to rescue my people and then back into the rebellion. Hera says, “I trust you, Kanan. We can talk about whatever you want to do. Barring anything weird.”

Kanan laughs, “What counts as weird?”

“Animal, vegetable, droid.”

“Noted,” Kanan says before he licks his bottom lip, “Hera, you’re not getting any complaints from me.”

Hera sighs, “Maybe, I feel selfish.”

“You’re not—” Kanan trails off when Hera crawls off his lap and kneels on the floor. She’s only done this a handful of times with Kanan because Kanan usually keeps things so focused on her, but he enjoys this. 

Kanan’s breathing increases before Hera does anything. He might be building this up in his head. Hera takes him partly in her mouth. Human’s body temperatures are cooler than Twi’leks. It is a weird feeling when Kanan is inside of her, but this isn’t bad. Kanan leans back on the bed.

Hera stops and says. “Oh, Kanan?”

“Yeah?” he asks, sitting up a bit, looking a little panicked.

“No Jedi restraint. I want to do this, but I don’t want to do this for the six hours.”

“Sweetheart, I wouldn’t worry about that!” Kanan yells the last part because Hera started stroking him and licking the underside of his cock. She employs her hands, which gives her jaw a break. When she takes him all the way into her mouth, she starts to hum, while sliding him in and out. Hera swirls her tongue around the tip and Kanan’s hips rise off the bunk. Hera smirks a little and wonders if all humans are so easy to get going. She’s a little proud of herself. 

Kanan’s hands move toward her lekku, but he doesn’t touch them; instead, he wraps a fist in Hera’s sheets. Kanan hasn’t said, but Hera thinks he’s nervous about being too rough with her, particularly her lekku. 

“Hera,” Kanan moans, and Hera releases him. 

“Luv?” asks Hera before sucking the tip of Kanan’s cock.

Kanan leans up and strokes her jaw, “Yeah, sweetheart? Do you want to stop?”

Hera releases Kanan from her mouth and shakes her head no, “I was just going to say you could touch my lekku if you want, but you don’t have.”

Kanan’s right hand immediately starts stroking Hera’s left lekku. It makes this more enjoyable for her, not that having Kanan gasping her name isn’t great all on its own. She takes him back in her mouth and proceeds to lick and suck. As he strokes her lekku, tension starts to build in her abdomen. Kanan’s left hand is wound tightly in her sheets. 

As he gets closer, Kanan uses a little more force on her lekku, his hand grips the underside of her lekku and pulls her forward. Kanan’s eyes are tightly closed, and Hera huffs through her nose. Kanan’s eyes pop open, and he releases Hera’s lekku and says, “I’m sorry. I shouldn—"

Hera continues to go down on Kanan until he gasps, “Kriff, Hera, I’m going to cum, so—”

And he does, but she was grateful for the warning so she could prepare to swallow. Hera stands up and asks, “That wasn’t so hard.”

“It was kind of hard,” replies Kanan with a smirk.

“It is like a sickness with you. You can’t help yourself.”

Kanan treads his fingers through hers and tugs her into the bed. Kanan pulls her on top of him and then rolls them over, so she’s under him. He buries his face in her neck and reaches his right hand between her legs. 

She feels him grin into her neck, smug bastard. Kanan says, “So, it isn’t going to take long to get you there?”

He’s right, of course; he has her gasping and moving her hips in time with his hand within minutes. She feels the tension that had been building in her abdomen release; she shudders under Kanan. When she opens her eyes, Kanan is staring at her face. 

“You’re beautiful,” says Kanan. He shifts slightly, and before Hera can say anything, Kanan slides into her. She turns her head away from Kanan as she winces with discomfort. Kanan freezes and asks, “Hera? Are you ok? I should have asked.”

“It’s fine, Kanan. I want to. I’m just a little tender—”

Kanan cuts her off, “I shouldn’t have assumed. I’ll pull-“

“Kanan, stop being dramatic,” replies Hera, trusting up, pulling Kanan deeper into her. 

“You’re sure?” asks Kanan. 

“Yes, Kanan.” They spend the next several hours in various compromising positions. Hera is almost asleep when she feels Kanan jerk in his sleep. He gets up and slips on his pants. Hera mumbles, “Where are you going?”

“To the refresher. Go back to sleep, sweetheart,” replies Kanan, who kisses her forehead before exiting her cabin. He takes his clothes with him.

Come morning, Hera isn’t surprised that Kanan didn’t come back to bed. Kanan is in the common room when Hera enters. He has two cups of caf in front of him. Hera asks, “One of those mine?”

He pushes one toward her. Hera takes a long sip. It took a while, but he gets the way she takes her caf now. She takes one sweet cube. You’d think he’d drink black caf to go with his rogue image, and he will because the man can drink jet fuel if he has to. But on Ghost, when they have fresh supplies, he adds of all things, raw honey to it. She says, “You look tired.”

“Thanks, sweetheart,” retorts Kanan, but gives her a wink before saying, “Not everyone can wake up looking as good as you.”

Hera gives Kanan a soft smile and says, “We should arrive soon, and be able to start scoping things out well before dark.”

“You going to wear your flight suit?” 

“You think I shouldn’t?”

“I think you should wear whatever you want. It might stick out,” states Kanan. He’s right, of course. Fulcrum is right about him and that is really annoying. 

Hera feels weird dressed as a civilian, but explaining a flight suit might be a strange conversation to have. She opts for utility pants and a lightweight thermal shirt, sure it is hot during the day on Tatooine, but after dark, it is going to get cold really fast. Her headwear is more complicated. She opts for a simple head covering, which crosses down her lekku. She’s waiting in the hall between their cabins, which gives her a good view of Kanan getting dressed because he has no sense of modesty. Kanan’s dressed as he usually is, sans hideous coat, but without it, his lightsaber is more pronounced. 

Kanan grins at her, exits his cabin, and asks, “Ready to do this, sweetheart?”

“Yes, one second,” Hera says as she steps into him, reaching around behind him. 

“I’m not opposed, but we might not have time to do this properly,” jokes Kanan, but his arms embrace her, and he rests his chin on the top of her head, swaying her. Then he sighs, pulls away a bit, and says, “Stop that.”

“Too late,” replies Hera having snagged his lightsaber, tossing it back into his cabin and hitting the senor to close his cabin. 

“I need to bring that.” But Hera stops Kanan from opening the door to his cabin. 

“No, you don’t. You said you wanted to keep a lower profile.”

“We might need it.”

“On Tatooine? Kanan, they’ll turn you over without blinking. They’ll turn you over without any evidence just for the payout.”

Chop whizzes by them, and hotwires Kanan’s cabin door. Kanan yells, “Get out of there, you menace.”

Chop grabs the lightsaber.

“Oh kriff, no. Give that here before you hurt someone,” shouts Kanan, advancing on Hera’s droid.

But to Kanan and Hera’s surprise, Chop holds it out to Kanan and chirps, “[Kanan unit is most effective with all his parts].” 

Kanan looks confused, and Chop gestures for Kanan to take the weapon. Kanan cautiously takes the lightsaber from Chop and glances at Hera out of the side of his eye.

“He said you’re more effective with all your parts,” Hera says this with a smile, but Kanan’s face grows dark. They are so close to one another, but in this moment Kanan isn’t even on the Ghost. He’s just looking at his lightsaber like it is—Hera doesn’t even know. 

It is a look her mother would get when she and Alema were sharing the Kalikori with Hera, telling her of the good and bad from their family history. 

The family lost, and the time that sticks out the most is when Alema, shortly after Tislera died, added a piece for her sister just below the small one, for a small boy, Hera’s brother. Cham couldn’t bring himself to do it, but Hera remembers how gentle Cham was when he asked Alema, “Do you want to add one for Poy?”

It sticks out because Cham was never particularly gentle. Alema raged at him, and Hera worried that there would be no Kalikori after, but Alema handed it to Hera and turned on Cham saying, “Why? We don’t know she’s dead. And you hated her anyway. Why commemorate her?”

Cham didn’t deny it. Hera didn’t know what to say or do. Alema left, and Hera didn’t see her for months. Other leaders suggested that Alema left Ryloth, and Cham thought she might have since she always wanted to see the galaxy. 

Kanan isn’t sharing anything with her or Chop. Again, Hera feels like a 14 year old girl, clueless about how to help. She reaches out and touches Kanan’s arm as Chop says, “[Hera unit should get a similar attachment].”

Hera laughs. It draws Kanan back to the present, and he raises an eyebrow at her. Hera sighs, “He thinks I should get a similar attachment.”

Kanan looks at Chop and pats his drome, which gets a droid version of a hiss and two sparks, which don’t make contact, from Chop, who retreats further into Kanan’s cabin. Kanan says, “You know, you’re not so bad when you’re not being a psychopath.”

Hera places her hand on Kanan’s shoulder and gently says, “If you feel like you should take it, I won’t fight you.” She adds with a smile, “You’re pretty incredible with it.”

Kanan sighs, “I never finished my training. My master, she was incredible. But this isn’t my life anymore [1].” He hands it back to Chop and asks, “For today, can you keep this for me?”

Chop provides a confused chirp, but clicks, “[Affirmative].” Chop places it into his body cavity and gives Kanan a salute. 

Kanan spins on his heels to face Hera and asks, “Lead the way, Captain.”

Kanan and Hera take the Phantom to the city, while Chop parks the Ghost in a low traffic area away from any citizens or criminals as the case may be. Hera puts the Phantom in what looks like a makeshift docking station. Glancing at Kanan, she sees him move his hand absentmindedly to his thigh. Hera gets out of the pilot’s chair and checks her pockets for anything they could need. She looks over to Kanan, expecting him to be following suit, but instead, he hasn’t moved and is staring out the window. 

“Luv?”

Kanan jumps and says, “Sorry? What?”

“Luv, what’s out there?”

“Nothing—I don’t know. It feels like something is out there,” replies Kanan. 

“According to the map, the only thing out there is the Jundland Wastes, so not much,” confirms Hera. 

“The sooner we get out of this place, the better,” mumbles Kanan. 

“Agreed,” says Hera, checking her blaster one last time. Kanan’s hand hasn’t left his blaster pistol since they landed. 

They head straight for the cantina, which is a place Hera’s never going to use the bathroom in. It is dark and dirty. It also has a surprising number of people in it, but Hera supposes she’d drink herself unconscious if she had to live here, too. The atmosphere is depressing. Kanan visibly relaxes once they enter the cantina because, of course, he’d like this place. He takes her elbow and whispers, “Bounty hunters in the back, we’ll want to sit close to them, but not too close.”

“Really? It’s like I’ve never done this before,” retorts Hera. Of course, they’ll head to the bounty hunters, 1. Jabba keeps bounty hunters employed, and 2. Bounty hunters have money to pay for girls. Sex workers will be the easiest slaves to track; their work requires they engage with people, and they are the most profitable when kept in brothels. 

“Sorry, just—”

“Are you nervous?” asks Hera. Kanan shakes his head no and starts to remove his hand from Hera, but she grabs it and says, “Kanan, are you feeling ok? You look like you haven’t slept, and you’re being strange.”

Kanan’s face flashes for just a second something like resignation, but then he winks and says, “If I’m not sleeping whose fault is that?” As he lets go of her arm, wraps his arm around her waist, and pats her ass before whispering, “Sell it, we’ve got someone’s attention.”

Hera leans up and whispers in Kanan’s ear, “Touch my ass again in public, and I’ll be down a crewman.”

“Noted, but does that mean I’m allowed to when we’re home?” says Kanan, as he pulls Hera even closer to his body. Kanan calling Ghost his home does something to Hera, but thankfully Kanan continues, “How do you want to play this?”

“Follow their lead, I guess, we just want information.”

Kanan nods and says, “Grab a seat, and I’ll grab a couple drinks.”

Kanan makes his way to the bar, and Hera snags a table at the back of the cantina where their backs will be against a wall. A Falleen bounty hunter one table away blows Hera a kiss. Kanan slides into the chair next to her, placing a Jet Juice in front of her. 

“Making friends already?” asks Kanan, whose mood has improved just by being in the bar. Hera rolls her eyes and sips drink. Now that they have to wait, Kanan asks, “So, I’ve meant to ask who’s Skawn and Alema?”

Hera smirks and glances at Kanan out the side of her eyes. She sighs, might as well, “Skawn is an old boyfriend. He works closely with my father.”

“Oh,” Kanan nods and leans close, whispering, “Guy never had a shot.”

Hera smiles, slaps Kanan’s arm, and says, “Oh, stop that. He is a lovely man, and I hope he finds someone who cares for him as deeply as he can, but he wanted a life I didn’t.”

“So, what life did you want?” asks Kanan. Hera feels a wave of sadness wash over her. She never rarely considered life without a fight. For levity, Kanan quickly adds, “Always wanted to be a rebel?”

“Actually,” Hera giggles.

Kanan raises an eyebrow at her, and she bites her bottom lip to stop giggling. 

“My father isn’t the only revolutionary in our family. I know Kasmir and Jondo thought so, but my mother and her sister, Alema, fought the Separatists and then the Empire. My parents met through Alema. She was clever and fierce. She was the first one to let me fly. Well, mother convinced father, but it was Alema’s idea. We’d sit for hours and talk about all the places we’d go. She called sei eoh Kiros lelka [my little Kiros bird].”

“A Kiros bird?” asks Kanan. 

“Pet name, I guess. She thought I was always meant to fly.”

“So, what happened to her?” Hera gives Kanan a puzzled look, and he continues, “I assumed something happened to her the way you wouldn’t let Skawn finish talking about her.”

“Alema is still fighting alongside my father. Or fighting with my father if the rumors are to be believed.” It is Kanan’s turn to have a puzzled expression. Hera says, “Alema always pushed back against my father. The movement is better for it.” Hera laughs a little to herself and says, “When I was little, she’d wrap her arms around me like this,” Hera pauses to wrap her arms around her middle, “lift me, and spin me as fast as she could until we’d land on the ground.”

“Cute,” says Kanan with a smile, “So, where did you and Alema go?”

The question barely registers. Hera can’t help but think back to laying in the grass with Alema and Poy. Poy using the clay, Cham brought her to make paints from the northern continent, and Alema pointing to the sky and asking Hera what the clouds looked like. 

“That looks like a diamond-class cruiser,” says an eight-year-old Hera.

“You know, it does,” agrees Alema.

“Can our little Kiros not have dreams unrelated to war?” asks Poy. 

“When there is no war on Ryloth, then she can dream of other things,” retorts Alema, patting Hera’s lekku. “Until, then we—” gesturing for Hera to continue…

“Fight for freedom from the droid occupation!” shouts Hera with her little fist in the air. 

“Adorable and deeply disturbing,” laughs Poy, “Come here, my little rebel.” Hera runs to Poy’s lap, and Poy whispers, “There are ways to resist without weapons or ships. It is an act of resistance simply to love yourself and treat others with kindness in a galaxy that would oppress you.” Hera didn’t understand that then, but now, with the Empire’s xenophobia, she has a better understanding. 

“Sei eswo titehni [my beloved pacifist],” says Alema leaning over to kiss Poy. 

“But you’ll come with us?” Hera pleads with Poy, “To the stars?”

Poy kisses Hera’s forehead and says, “I’m afraid not, little rebel, that’s a trip you’ll have to take without me. I have no desire to leave Ryloth.”

“Hera?” asks Kanan, taking her hand in his, “Are you alright?” 

Hera nods blinks tears back, and says, “Alema’s lover was taken by slavers shortly after my mother died. There was no body, no word as to where she ended up, and Alema was afraid if she left Ryloth and Poy returned, Poy would think she didn’t wait for her.”

Kanan opens his mouth, but Hera says, “Incoming.” 

Kanan glances away from her and sees what Hera is referring to two humans males are making their way across the cantina. The two humans have noticed Kanan and Hera that much is obvious from the way they gestured to them. 

Kanan looks back at Hera with a sad look in his eyes, and gently places his hand on her cheek and wipes what must have been a stray tear. Hera gives Kanan a small smile to reassure him, she’s fine. They are both distracted enough to miss the two humans’ approach and sit at their table. 

Kanan drops his arm across the back of Hera’s chair, and he asks the humans, “Gentleman, what can we do for you?” But he doesn’t look at them, he’s still looking at Hera. 

“Wondered where you got her?” asks human one; as he says it, he reaches for Hera’s face. She moves away from him and leans closer to Kanan. 

“I did---” begins Kanan, but Hera cuts him off with a look, and Kanan says, “I didn’t set out to, but you know how these things happen.”

The second human says, “Well, if you’re looking for an upgrade, we may have a few for sell.”

Hera can see it on Kanan’s face, he’s waiting for her lead. He’s also furious, but he’s hiding it. Hera can’t help but wonder if all Jedi could hide their anger. She sees it because she knows him so well, but these humans don’t have a clue. Hera takes her hand from the table and overtly puts it on Kanan’s thigh. She keeps her eyes downcast and softly asks, working the hell out of her Ryloth accent, “Luv, for the house?”

Kanan doesn’t respond; he doesn’t seem to know what her angle is, so Hera gives him a nod and puts pressure on his thigh. Kanan nods and says, “Of course eswo, we’re newlyweds, and she’s having a hard time acclimating to life on Tatooine. I thought it would be nice if one of our house servants was a Twi’lek. Are you saying you know where to find one?”

“I don’t know about that,” says human two, “One I was keeping ran off when I bought a male.”

Human one laughs and says, “So buy a young female, and replace this one when the time comes.”

Kanan forces a laugh and asks, “How much would a young female go for?”

The humans, including Kanan, start discussing the pricing of Twi’lek slaves. Kanan is haggling, which turns Hera’s stomach. He is doing a good job of getting information without seeming like he’s interested. For example, they know the humans have 50+ Twi’leks for sale. They are being held not far from here, but they are selling at a quick rate, though that last bit might be more to convince Kanan to purchase sooner rather than later. The humans bid them goodbye after they were given coordinates to where the Twi’leks are being held. Apparently, there is going to be an auction tomorrow. 

“That seemed easy, maybe too easy? Then again, with the auction, we’re going to have to move sooner rather than later,” sighs Hera.

“They didn’t buy it,” says Kanan.

“What?”

“They are very distrustful of us.”

“Do you think they gave us a bogus location?” asks Hera. 

“Guess, we’ll know when we get there,” replies Kanan, standing from his chair, stretching his back.

“This could be really dangerous,” warns Hera. Just one more time she’s going to put Kanan at risk for a cause he doesn’t even believe in. 

Kanan grins at her, holds out his hand to her, and says, “Wouldn’t have it any other way, sweetheart.” Sometimes she loves this man. Hera shakes her head to clear that thought. Kanan pulls her to her feet and says, “Too bad there isn’t a cloaking devise for people like we have for Ghost.”

“Like I have for Ghost,” corrects Hera. They walk to the exit of the cantina, and Kanan stops abruptly. He’s looking out into the distance, and he shivers but says nothing about it. 

They head to the coordinates they were provided. The good news, the coordinates were right. The bad news, there is a surprising amount of security for a small operation. Still, the mission is doable, at least that is what Hera keeps telling herself. 

Once night has fallen, some of the men guarding the prisoners appear to go for home or to the cantina. Regardless, it makes sneaking around easier. Still, Hera’s nervous, and she’s trying not to show it to Kanan. It seems like a weird thing to care about, given the amount of time they spend together. 

“Always thought, the first time we’re strolling after dark through sand, there would be a sea or ocean nearby, and you’d be in some sexy swim thing,” says Kanan.

Hera tries not to smile, because that is utterly ridiculous, and Hera asks, “And what would you be wearing?”

“I’d be naked. Why drag things out?” says Kanan with a wink. 

Hera giggles and asks, “You wouldn’t be concerned about sand in uncomfortable places?” 

“Sweetheart,” Kanan says, wrapping an arm around Hera’s shoulder, and gestures with his left hand to the landscape around them, “this is an uncomfortable place.”

Hera rolls her eyes and gives Kanan a shove with her hip shushing him. Kanan abruptly stops and grabs Hera around the waist and pulls her between two structures. Kanan whispers. “Someone is following us.”

Hera tries to look past Kanan, but he won’t let her. Hera asks, “Kanan, who is it?”

“I don’t know. It feels—I don’t know.” Kanan looks through a window of the building they are pressed against. He nods to it and says, “Looks like we found the Twi’leks, and it looks like they aren’t the only ones.”

Hera stands on her toes to see, and Kanan is right, the majority of the prisoners are Twi’leks, but there are a handful of Togrutas and two Gamandars. All in all, there are about 20 slaves. 

“Where are the rest?” asks Kanan. 

“Is it possible that they’ve already sold the others?”

“Maybe, but I doubt it.”

“Maybe they have others in other buildings?”

“Probably, but if they have 20 in each building, then we’re looking at 100 or more. How are we going to transport them?”

“A ship,” snarks Hera.

“It will need to be a big ship.”

“Like a freighter,” suggests Hera, “Maybe one we can take from some unsuspecting slavers. But that would be wrong.”

“Very wrong…we should probably blow up any others so they can’t give chase,” Kanan says with a grin.

Both Hera and Kanan look at each other before they both say, “So, you’ll handle the ships?”

“Wait, no,” replies Kanan. While Hera says, “You’ll have to.”

“You’re the better pilot,” retorts Kanan.

“I’m the Twi’lek. You’re a human man, they aren’t going to trust you,” retorts Hera, but she can see she made her point by the look on his face. 

“Ok, we go into this building together so they know I’m with you,” says Kanan. Hera nods, and they enter the back of the building when the two guards leave out the front. 

Kanan grins and says, “Got to love the night shift.”

“Just go, luv.” But they can’t go because the back door is secured by a drop bar over across the door. Hera whispers, “Should we look for another way in?”

Kanan shakes his head no, closes his eyes, and Hera hears the drop bar raise and fall gently to the side. Kanan opens his eyes, winks at Hera, and opens the door for her, saying, “After you.”

“Show off.”

A small Twi’lek child closest to the door screams in fear and shouts, “Specterku! Specterku!”

“Quiet youngling,” admonishes an adult Twi’lek.

“Specterku? Specters?” Kanan grins at Hera, “I like it.”

Hera ignores him and addresses the prisoners, “Gan ohk circaa ar fa'kan. dan ohk ohsis o'emalehek, kay dan cahsinark fic ar ayhnu'k nalnan. [We're here to help. You're being rescued, but you'll have to listen closely.]”

Hera runs through the plan with the prisoners, including that Kanan is going to leave to get a ship, and she will free them from their chains. However, she only has one laser lockpick, so it is going to take a while. Kanan is going to bring the ship just south of the encampment. 

Kanan slips his arm around Hera’s waste and says, “I’m going to get a ship.”

Hera nods, and Kanan exits the way they entered. 

While releasing the prisoners, Hera asks if their capturers provided any information on previous slaving expeditions. No one has any information for her other than some of the current prisoners have already been sold to brothels and Jabba. After releasing the first 20 Twi’leks, Hera instructs them to meet by the south fence and stay hidden waiting for Kanan. 

Hera moves to the second building, providing these prisoners with the same instructions and questions, with the same results. She continues to the third building. However, upon entering the fourth, the prisoners are already out of their chains. 

“How'd dan jemae sah? [How’d you free yourselves?]” asks Hera. 

“Ji a'an kkansla ronkan gei yao [The other specter broke our chains,]” replies a male Twi’lek about Hera’s age. She looks out the window facing the south of the encampment and sees Kanan has returned, maybe he started on the other side to meet her?

She better move fast, thinks Hera before asking, “Fic dei vikesio goh ea yelniyo arsian kn'ic se'esee? [Have your captors mentioned anything about previous slaver expeditions?]”

Again no one had any information for her, which she expected. Hera moves onto the final building, and again all the prisoners are freed. Why wouldn’t Kanan wait for her? Did he go back to the ship?

As she leads the prisoners out of the fifth building toward the ship, Kanan stole, blaster fire starts. Hera yells, “Elan! Do cahsinark viksan kuklo [Go! I’ll catch up]!”

Hera returns fire, luckily there are only a handful of guards closing in on her. Nothing she can’t handle; after all, she’s been handling a blaster without supervision since she was eight-years-old. Hera is able to take out three of the five in pursuit of the prisoners with the added bonus of making her their priority. Hera looks back to Kanan and the prisoners, and they are almost all onboard, but more slavers are in pursuit of them. Hera can make out Kanan’s tall form helping the prisoners onboard. Hera hits her commlink and says, “Luv, take off, you’ll have to come back for me when it is clear.”

Static breaks over her commlink, Kanan’s voice, “I know you didn’t just say what I think you did.”

Hera doesn’t dignify that with a response. She knows Kanan will do the right thing and complain about it later. 

Hera decides once she takes out the last two slavers in pursuit of her, she’ll head out the opposite way and signal Kanan for a rendezvous. She fires at the one in the distance and hits him. She’s down to the last one. He looked younger than the others. Hera makes some headway getting close to the young slaver; he’s not very good in a firefight. 

She pins him down in one of the structures, and he pleads, “Please, don’t kill me.”

Hera considers just shooting him and being done with it. Still, she has to ask, “Are there any slaves from previous expeditions here? An expedition from five years ago”

The kid, because he’s just a kid, shakes his head no. Hera raises her blaster, and the kid exclaims, “Not here! But I know where one is.”

“Where?” 

The kid looks terrified. He keeps opening and closing his mouth like he doesn’t know what to say.

“Today,” growls Hera.

“Jabba the Hutt’s man, Bib Fortuna. He always buys some from the new shipments,” says the kid. Hera is seething. The kid continues, “They might have one.”

“Sounds like you aren’t sure.”

The kid is panting in his fear. His eyes darting from side to side. Then he says, “I can take you to talk to Jabba’s slaves.”

“Hera, come in,” Kanan’s voice emanates from Hera’s commlink, “We need to get out of here.”

Hera stares at the kid, keeping her blaster on him, and she replies to Kanan, “Go, once I’m clear, I’ll meet you at Ghost.”

Turning her attention back to the kid, Hera says, “Lead the way.”

[1] Obi Wan Kenobi tells Anakin that his lightsaber is his life, and I figured that isn’t just something Kenobi made up. Attack of the Clones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chop and Kanan, a bromance in the making. 
> 
> Comment and let me know how you think this is going. I'm still not loving it, but I'm setting a lot of things up, and I made a decision to emotionally torture some characters in a future chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback would be great because I don't know if I like where this story is heading. I kind of want to skip ahead to the next one from Kanan's POV. 
> 
> Also, as always, I need to reread this in the light of day.


End file.
